The Promise
by TheMidgetBee
Summary: A few years ago, while standing beside a river in Uberwald, Carrot made a promise to someone. Now the worst has happened...but can he go through with it?


Disclaimer: I don't own the characters; I just like to move them around a bit.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Commander Vimes opened the door tentatively. "Er, Carrot…Can I have a word?"

Carrot nodded and Vimes quietly closed the door behind him. He sat down on the battered old chair by Carrot's desk and looked at his Captain, a worried look on his face. "Carrot, are you okay?"

Carrot tore his gaze away from the object leaning against the wall and gave Vimes a bright friendly smile. "I'm fine, sir. Why'd you ask?"

"It doesn't have to you that…Vetinari did say that he's got some people who could…y'know."

The smile grew brighter. "Oh, well thank his Lordship for me, sir, but I have to do this myself. I promised."

"Yeah, but Carrot—"

"/I promised/."

Something in the tone of Carrot's voice made Vimes think that arguing further wouldn't be a good idea. He couldn't remember ever seeing Carrot lose his temper before, but it didn't sound like he would have to wait long to find out. And for some reason, he got the feeling that the normally amiable Captain would not be a good person to be around when that happened, even if you were his friend. "Okay. If you need anything…"

He closed the door to Carrot's room and suddenly felt the urge to go home and hug Sybil.

* * *

The smile slipped from Carrot's face as he heard Vimes walking away down the corridor. He had resumed his staring at the wall, or rather the item leaning against it, and thought about the past few days. It had all started out well enough, Vimes had insisted on giving him the day off but then there had been that murder at the Finchley place… 

"It can sometimes happen like that," Sally had said quietly. "Being around humans for too long…it can be too much of a temptation and it's hard to keep in control even if you do a normal job." Carrot had watched as she had held a little twist of black ribbon in her hands, holding on to it so tight he found himself wondering if she was in any danger of her nails cutting into her skin. "But being in this job, with all the murders and the b-bl…b-word, it affects you. One minute you can be fine, and then the next…you just turn. Really it's a wonder she lasted this long."

Sally had quit that day. Carrot didn't blame her really; the situation had shaken everyone, especially her. It had all happened so /fast/.

I should have known, Carrot thought. I should have done something…

And you can, he told himself, you can fulfil the promise you made.

He stood up, grabbed the silver-bladed axe leaning against the wall and headed down to the main reception of the Watch-House. The normally deafening decimal level of the room fell as he entered, descending into complete silence as the other Watchmen took in the axe in his hand. Carrot kept his eyes straight ahead and his expression blank as he walked past the rows of desks towards the cell area. As he passed the booking-in desk he heard Cheery burst into tears and the rumble of Detritus' voice trying to calm her, but ignored them both, finally reaching the main cell door and locking it behind him. He walked down to the last cell, and heard something in the gloom start to growl.

Carrot unlocked the cell door and set the axe against the wall. Well, it didn't look like much had changed in the past few hours. The wolf hadn't yet managed to escape the chain and collar that held it close to the wall, but it looked like it'd tried; the floor was scuffed with claw-marks and the brickwork where the chain had been anchored was looking a little loose.

He smiled fondly at the snarling animal. "Hello, Angua."

Angua strained at the chain, barking furiously as she tried to get at her boyfriend.

Carrot knelt down just out of range and looked at her. "Do you remember our last day off together?" he asked in a warm, loving tone. "I suggested we go to see the new exhibit of melee muffins at the Dwarf Bread Museum and you told me that you'd rather kiss Nobby than spend another day looking at blunt-edged baked goods, so we packed that picnic and went to Hide Park instead…"

As Carrot talked he continued watching Angua, trying to see if there was a reaction/any/ reaction, that might suggest she was still in there somewhere. He did notice her starting to quiet down though, and within ten minutes she was sitting on the floor looking at him, an unreadable expression on her face.

Well, let's find out if it worked, he thought to himself. "Angua?" he said as he took a hesitant step forward. "It's me, Carrot—"

Suddenly she launched at him, tearing the chain from the wall as she leapt, pushing him backwards against the bars of the cell. Her claws tore at his shoulders as she tried to close her teeth around his throat.

Carrot grabbed the werewolf's jaws in his hands and tried to push her backwards. She scrambled for footing as he forced her back, but lost it, falling backwards onto the floor. She soon got upright and turned to launch herself at him again, the bloodlust rising in her throat as her eyes began to glow red. She jumped just as Carrot swung the axe…

* * *

Sally was right, it had happened fast. They had been called to the Finchley house to help investigate the murder of the entire family and their servants. 

"You okay?" Carrot asked, noticing the strange expression on his girlfriend's face.

"Hmm? Oh…yeah, I'm fine," she answered. "All the blood is just a little heavy on the nose."

"If you want to go…?"

She shook her head at him. "No, I'm fine," she repeated. "Come on; let's have a look at the murder scene."

They traipsed up to the master bedroom, where Mr Finchley and his wife had met a grisly end. Blood seemed to coat the carpet and most of the walls, and Angua swayed slightly as they entered the room.

"Angua…"

"Carrot, I'm /fine/. For gods' sake, how many more times?"

"At least let me open a window." He walked over to the nearest window and tried to push it open; the lock was covered in rust and proved to be immoveable, even for him. Carrot sighed and turned back to Angua who was kneeling by the body of the wife. "Looks like the window is stuck, I'm afraid."

She didn't answer him; instead she seemed to be staring intently at the corpse.

"Angua?"

She looked up at the sound of her name, a strange smile on her face. Then she stood up and howled, a long raw sound that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He took a few steps backwards and held up his hands. "Angua, what's going on?" he asked.

She bared her teeth at him in answer and growled. Before he knew what was happening she was running towards him, and as she ran she /Changed/. Carrot quickly ducked the leap and she hit the wall hard. But it took a lot more than that to stop a werewolf though, and Carrot knew it; as she wheeled around for another strike, he drew back his arm and punched her square on the jaw. She paused, stunned by the force of the blow and Carrot kicked her in the head as hard as he could, hitting her over and over, until she fell to the floor unconscious.

He had taken her to the Watch-House immediately and locked her in one of the cells they usually kept troll prisoners in; it probably wouldn't hold a werewolf for any decent amount of time, but Carrot could only hope she would be back to her old self before long…

* * *

Angua made a feeble attempt to bite Carrot as he sat down next to her and began to stroke her fur, making sure to avoid the huge bloody wound in her side. It would only be moments now before she passed, but he didn't think he could bear to swing the axe again to give her a slightly quicker death; at least he could make her as comfortable as possible. 

The golden fur was soon covered in blood from the wound, covering Carrot's hand too, but still he kept running his fingers through the wolf's fur, trying to comfort her as best he could. He wondered if now was the time to say it. She had always stopped him from it before but now it seemed right; she /had/ to know before it was too late.

As the light in her eyes started to fade Carrot lowered his head and whispered gently in her ear, "Goodbye, Angua. I love you."


End file.
